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Active Travel Campaigners Achieve Cycling Win in Selly Oak

Submitted by Robert on Mon, 15/01/2018 - 08:54

Various groups campaigning for active travel, including Push Bikes, have won for the Selly Oak Triangle junction better facilities for pedestrians and some segregated cycleways (shown as red lines on the image here). Regarding cycling, the planners responded as follows:

The project team has reviewed the cycle facilities following the public consultation feedback. The proposals include:

Segregated way cycle along Bristol Road with single phase cycle crossing at Harborne Lane junction and single / diagonal cycle crossing at Chapel Lane junction.

Segregated two way cycle track along Harborne Lane.

The cycle proposals have been designed to connect with existing and possible future cycle measures in the Selly Oak area.

The following relevant responses (page 63 onwards in this document) were received by Birmingham City Council in response to the original plans for this junction:

Name

Response

Selly Oak Life Sciences Green Travel District Association

The current plan shows little improvement for cyclists

West Midlands Campaign for Better Transport

Pedestrian Crossing across Bristol Road – it would be sensible for a pedestrian crossing to be provided over Elliot Road and across Bristol Road.

Living Streets

The footways in general are inadequate and sharing with cyclists is not a suitable arrangement

Push Bikes

The plans show that extra space for motor traffic is being squeezed into the highways land, how will the segregated cycle lanes be fitted in alongside the proposed new lanes for cars. The plans as they stand make cycling conditions in that location worse than they are at the moment.

Six private individuals

Proposed cycle measures are limited and need to be reviewed

One private individual

It would be better to have pedestrian segments in the traffic signals at either end of Bristol Road and not have the crossing in the middle

One private individual

The current pedestrian crossing timings at Selly Oak triangle are highly dangerous due to the long waiting time. The pedestrian crossing lights need to correctly reflect whether the road is in fact safe to cross at that time

One private individual

Would like more information on pedestrian routes and cycle lanes

One private individual

Encouraging traffic to use the relief road rather than continuing down Bristol Road (and through local centres) should be a primary objective for this scheme, as this will contribute to creating a more walkable and cycleable environment for local journeys

Unfortunately it's not all good news. Some of the cycle routes through the junction will be shared use paths, ignoring the comment made by Living Streets. Also, many of those who responded called for improvements that have been rejected, and this will be covered in a blog post in the near future.